1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having the functions of reading an original image recorded on an original sheet, which is placed on an original mount, and forming an image on a sheet to be conveyed.
2. Description of the Related Art
The art is replete with examples of copiers, printers, facsimiles, and apparatus combining combinations thereof all utilizing an image forming apparatus.
One such known image forming apparatus has flatbed original reading means (a flatbed scanner) for reading the image of an original placed on an original mount. In such apparatus, a pressure plate for holding the original placed on the original mount is adapted to be freely pivotally opened and closed.
Thus, in the general image forming apparatus, the following systems are found. A reading portion disposed at the topmost part of the main unit of the apparatus, an image forming portion placed under the said reading portion, with a recording sheet discharging outlet additionally placed thereunder.
This design, however, has certain numerous drawbacks, described as follows.
When a recording sheet printed or recorded with data is discharged by means of shortening the sheet conveying path in a design such as that common in the aforementioned prior art, a discharged-sheet tray is usually provided on the left or right side thereof, under the reading portion, so as to improve operability. Alternatively, a recording sheet discharged from the image forming portion can be often turned over and discharged between the reading portion and the image forming portion. Thus, in the former case, the discharged-sheet tray protrudes from the left or right side of the apparatus, and in the latter case, the entire apparatus is increased in longitudinal size. In either case, the size of the apparatus is large, an obvious drawback.
Moreover, as part of the maintenance of the image forming portion, a toner cartridge or an ink cartridge is usually exchanged with a new one supplied from an upper part of the image forming portion. It is therefore necessary, in order to facilitate the exchange of the cartridge, to either deviate the image forming portion or the reading portion from the main unit to a place where these elements do not interfere with each other, or to incline one of them. The conventional apparatus thus has another drawback in that the size of its main unit must be increased still more and that doing so is complicated.
Accordingly, a compact image forming apparatus for personal use, to be installed on a desk, has yet to be realized.